Xenar 300mm f/4.5 lens---need an opinion

scheimfluger_77

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Mar 21, 2006
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mid-Missouri
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Some time back in a purchasing frenzy for enlarging lenses I picked up a Schneider Xenar f/4.5 300mm lens not in a shutter thinking it might work as an enlarging lens. Was I off base? Currently my max shooting format is 4x5 but as I have 5x7 enlargers I'm seriously considering moving to a 5x7 camera. Is it possible to put this lens in a shutter? I have no idea what size it would need or if the existing collars containg the lens elements would need to be changed out for shutter mount. Thanks.

Steve
 

jimgalli

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It should fit in a Compound #4 shutter. Not the easiest or cheapest shutter to find. It won't be a good choice for enlarging 5X7. You'll be putting a hole in the roof running the carriage up to try to get an 8X10 out of a 5X7. Lots of Xenars got used for enlarging though, so that part is usable. Now if you buy an old Burke and James with the 5 1/4" lens board, you could mount the 300 in barrel and put a Packard shutter behind it and have a classic set-up for fine portraits.
 

paul ewins

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Jan 5, 2006
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Melbourne, A
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Actually a 300/4.5 Xenar goes into a Compound 5. Your best chance of finding a Compound 5 is to buy .... a 300/4.5 Xenar (just like a Compound 4 where the most common lens found is a 240/4.5 Xenar). Almost everything else that went into a Compound 5 is much more desirable than a humble Xenar. Jim's suggestion of a Packard shutter is one way, a Sinar shutter is another possibility.
 
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